1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for providing program guides and an image display apparatus using the method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for providing program guides which displays the program guides using a concentric circle layout and provides the program guides so that navigation can be performed easily, and relates to an image display apparatus using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image display apparatus is an apparatus for displaying broadcast programs received from outside through an antenna, and generally includes a television (TV). Such an image display apparatus not only displays the broadcast programs received from outside through the antenna but also provides an electronic program guide (EPG) guiding the broadcast programs. Generally, the EPG provides a function of conveniently searching for a broadcast program which is to be watched by a user as the number of channels increases. The image display apparatus detects program information included in a broadcast program received from outside and stores it in a memory to provide it to the EPG when a user requires it.
FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a method for providing a program guide of a conventional image display apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, the image display apparatus provides an EPG according to a corresponding broadcast channel and the total time range and the arrangement of a time axis.
More specifically, the image display apparatus is classified according to categories such as ground-wave broadcasts, news/financial technologies, movies, and so on, and provides channels such as KBS1, KBS2, and so on, in the ground-wave broadcast category. In the case in which a user selects the CNN channel 3a in a broadcast channel list using a channel selection section 3 and selects 24 hours 5a as the total time range of the time axis 11 using a time axis setting section 5 and selects a rectangle 5b as the arrangement of the time axis 11, the image display apparatus provides a rectangular EPG 10 without any channel axis. Then, the selected CNN channel 10a is displayed at a central portion of the EPG 10, the rectangular time axis 11 is displayed as 24 hours together with time scales along the circumference, and the broadcast programs of the CNN channel 10a, which correspond to each time, are displayed on one screen.
However, the EPG provided by the conventional program guide providing method provides the broadcast program information only on the channel selected by a user, for example, only on one channel.
Therefore, it is quite troublesome for a user to move to the broadcast channel list to select another channel in the EPG if broadcast program information on the channel is to be seen. Further, specific information on the broadcast program selected by a user is not provided.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method for providing program guides so that navigation can be performed more easily.